Alcoa is a convenient stopover for travelers visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, given its close proximity to the park (just 20 miles away) and its regional airport, McGhee Tyson Airport, which also serves the Knoxville metropolitan area. Distant mountain peaks are visible from Alcoa Highway (US 129). When driving through Alcoa, you may notice something interesting about the street names—many are named after scientists and inventors, including Bell, Newton and Edison.